Nozzle



April 16, 1963 w. J. HAY ETAL 3,085,755

NOZZLE Filed Aug. 31, 1960 X XXX XX INVENTORSZ WILLIAM J. HAY

DALE L. LARSON AT TORN EY Patented Apr. 16, 1963 3,085,755 NOZZLE William J. Hay, Towson, Md, and Dale L. Larson, New Philadelphia, Ohio, assignors to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 31, 1950, Ser. No. 53,160 12 Claims. (Q1. 239-565) This invention relates to a nozzle and more particularly to a blower duct which discharges pressurized air into 'a zone so that entrainable substances can be removed from forms passing through such zone.

It will readily be realized that with todays standards in the handling of bottled products for human consumption it is desirable that the outer surface of such bottles be cleaned prior toshipping the product to market so that the bottle presents a sparkling appearance to the purchaser. In the past such bottle cleaning has been accomplished by means of locating a series of jet nozzles having compressed air flowing therethrough which discharges the compressed air in small streams over the outer surface of the bottles as the bottles move through the discharge zones of the nozzles. Such jet nozzle cleaning systems are not entirely satisfactory since a compressor and a large number of jet nozzles must be provided which nozzles are oriented with respect to each other so that their discharge zones form a composite zone of air flow which is directed over the entire outer surface of the bottles passing therethrough. Since the jet nozzles must be relatively positioned, a suitable positioning means must be provided to hold the jet nozzles in such relative positions. Such a supporting structure is not adapted to being readily positioned with respect to a conveyor nor can such a structure be readily reversed. In addition, such nozzles in general have relatively small openings so that filtered compressed air must be supplied to prevent their clogging.

Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a new and improved nozzle having a plurality of elongated slots for defining a discharge zone through which forms pass to remove entrainable matter from the outer surfaces of such forms.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved nozzle for cleaning moisture off of bottles which bottles pass through an air discharge zone of the blower duct and which discharge zone may readily be located to flow in the same or opposite direction with relation to the movement of the bottles therethrough.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a new and improved duct blower for removing moisture from bottles having a pair of elongated laterally spaced air discharge slots and an elongated air discharge slot extending transversely thereof at one end of the laterally spaced slots to produce an air discharge zone for removing moisture from bottles passing through such zone.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nozzle constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention having a portion thereof broken away to more clearly show the fan structure employed therein,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the lower portion of the nozzle as shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lower portion shown in FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view partially in section taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 2 showing a conveyor as cooperable therewith.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be noted that a nozzle constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention comprises a suitable vertically extending housing or duct 1 having a formed elongated lower portion 2 and an upper tubular shell portion 4 each of which portions 2 and 4- may be fabricated from any suitable material such as steel. The lower portion 2 and the shell portion 4 are suitably abuttingly secured to each other in axial alignment in any suitable manner such as by providing mating outwardly extending flanges 5 and 7 thereon, respectively, which may be suitably secured together such as by being bolted together. A fan 6 of any suitable type such as an axial, centrifugal, radial or mixed flow type is suitably supported inwardly adjacent the upper end of the shell 4 to discharge pressurized air downwardly to the lower portion 2 for distribution as hereinafter described. As shown, suitable guide vanes 8- are located at the upper inlet end of shell 4 to guide the air to the fan 6.

As shown, the lower portion 2 of the duct 1 has. an upper tubular portion 10 with a pair of elongated laterally spaced hollow leg portions 12 extending downwardly from the bottom of the chamber portion 10. The lower ends of the leg portions 12 are provided with bottom plates 11 which engage a suitable surface 14 so that the entire duct 1 is stationarily supported on the surface 14. Although the hollow interior of the leg portions 12 may be of any suitable configuration, as shown, the leg portions 12 have outer arcuate surfaces 13, respectively, which are flush with the outer surface of the tubular portion 10 whereby the lower portion 2 has a smooth external surface throughout the length thereof. The leg portions 12 have inner or opposed chordal surfaces 15, respectively, which are planar and are preferably substantially parallel to each other. Surfaces 15 each have a longitudinally extending forwardly and inwardly directed elongated member 17 rigidly secured to the forward longitudinal edge thereof for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The lower end of the tubular portion '10 between the leg portions 12 is closed by means of a horizontally extending slotted bottom plate 22 which is suitably rigidly secured to the leg portions 12 and the tubular portion 10' to prevent leakage of air therebetween.

A conveyor 16, which may be of any suitable type as is well known in the art, is suitably supported on the surface 14 to move in a path between the opposed chordal surfaces 15 of the leg portions 12. Although not shown,

' it will be realized that the conveyor 16 is of a suitable type to constantly convey a plurality of forms from which it is desired to blow off entrainable foreign substances through the air discharge zone of the device of this invention. For the purposes of this invention any substance which is entrainable in an air stream is removable from the outer surface of the forms passing through the air discharge zone. Also, the forms comprise any suitable structures which can be conveyed and which will remain erect on the conveyor 16 while passing through the air discharge zone. For the purposes of best understanding this invention the conveyed forms are shown and described as bottles 18 and the air stream entrainable matter is described as comprising moisture which comprises either a thin film or droplets of water on the outer surface of the bottles 18. It will further be realized that, although not shown, the conveyor 16 has an elongated upper conveying surface on which the bottles 18 are gravitationally located and that the conveyor surface constantly moves between the leg portions 12 whereby a plurality of moisture laden bottles 18 progressively pass through the air discharge zone of the device of this invention. If desired, the upper conveying surface may be provided with suitable means for supporting the bottles 18 thereon, to prevent the bottles 18 from falling or being blown over as the bottles 18 pass through the air discharge zone.

The desired air discharge is provided by providing the bottom plate or surface 22 and the leg portions 12 of the duct 1 with suitable air discharge openings 24 and 26, respectively. For the purpose of best understanding this invention the term forward is used with reference to the duct blower to indicate the portion thereof which faces the oncoming bottles 18 on the conveyor 16. Consequently the bottles 18 pass from the forward portion of the duct blower to the rearward portion thereof. Thus, the openings 26 extend longitudinally of the forward edge of the leg portions 12 respectively, and the opening 24 extends perpendicularly and rearwardly therebetween. In addition, the opening 24 is preferably, as shown, offset forwardly of the central axis of the tubular portion 10 which extends laterally of the path of movement of the conveyor 16.

Referring to FIG. 2, the inside of the chamber portion 10 comprises an irregularly formed plenum 23 having plates 30 and 32 oppositely sloping downwardly and inwardly toward the longitudinal center of plenum 28 and plates 34 and 36 oppositely sloping downwardly and outwardly toward the inner surface of chamber portion 10.

Plate 30 has an arcuate top edge suitably rigidly secured as by welding to the inner surface of chamber portion 10 adjacent the top rearward edge thereof. The bottom portion of plate 30 terminates in a straight edge abutting the top portion of bottom plate 22 and the sides of plate 30 diverge from the top edge to the bottom edge thereof. Plate 30 defines a surface at an angle of approximately 55 with the flange and extends transversely at the bottom thereof more than halfway across the plenum 28.

The plate 32 has an arcuate top edge secured to the inner surface of chamber adjacent the top front edge thereof with the center thereof located diametrically opposite the center of the upper arcuate edge of the plate 30. Plate 32 terminates at the bottom portion thereof in a straight edge abutting the top portion of bottom plate 22. The bottom edges of plates 32 and 30 respectively, are parallel to and spaced from each other so as to define the opening 24 therebetween through which the air from fan 6 is directed at an angle therethrough. The sides of plate 32 are straight and parallel to each other and are secured to the top edges respectively of inner chordal surfaces of leg portions 12 which extend upwardly into chamber portion 10.

Plates 34 and 36 are secured to the diverging sides respectively of plate 30 and the adjacent inner surfaces of chamber portion 10. Inasmuch as plates 34 and 36 are of similar configuration, plate 34 only will be described as to configuration herein. Plate 34 forms a surface sloping downwardly from the adjacent diverging side of plate 30 and outwardly toward the inner surface of chamber portion 10. The side of plate 34 abutting the inner surface of chamber portion 10 is of arcuate shape to conform to the inner surface of chamber portion 10 and is secured thereto. The bottom portion of plate 34 terminates in a straight edge abutting and suitably rigidly secured to the top edge of the inner chordal surface 15 of the adjacent leg portion 12 and the top side of bottom plate 22 so as to define an opening 51 into the adjacent leg portion 12 which opening 51 is bounded by the inner chordal surface 15 and the adjacent arcuate portion of the inner surface of chamber portion 10. Similarly the bottom straight edge of plate 36 abuts the top edge of the opposite inner chordal surface 15 and the top side of bottom plate 22 so as to define a similar diametrically opposed opening 53 into the opposite leg portion 12 which opening 53 is bounded by the inner chordal surface 15 and the adjacent arcuate portion of the inner surface of chamber portion 10. Openings 51 and 53 allow the air blown into plenum 28 by fan 6 to be directed into the hollow leg portions 12 respectively. The longitudinally extending openings 26 in leg portions 12 are defined by the forward longitudinal edges of the arcuate surfaces 13 and the longitudinally extending members 17, respectively. Members 17 serve as deflectors to direct the air inwardly from the hollow leg portions 12 toward the longitudinal centerline of the conveyor 16 passing therebetween. The angle at which members 17 is set to direct the air inwardly depends of course upon the spacing between outlets 26 in leg portions 12. Accordingly members 17 may be set at any suitable angle which provides for an overlap of the air streams being directed from the openings 26 respectively, so as to insure complete air coverage at a suitable velocity of the bottles 18 passing therebetween.

The entire structure of the invention described l1ereinabove may be made of any suitable material such as steel and the various components thereof may be suitably rigidly secured to their respective cooperating components in any suitable manner such as by welding.

It has been found that to produce an even flow of air out of discharge openings 24, 26, 26, respectively, a static pressure build-up of at least /2" water gauge within plenum 28 and a total plenum 28 volume of at least 1 cubic foot for each 1,000 cubic feet per minute of fan 6 discharge is necessary. Further, it has been discovered that with a conveyor 16 passing between leg portions 12 at a speed of from 20 to feet per minute, our nozzle performs most effectively when the air is being discharged through openings 24, 26, 26, respectively, at a velocity of 6,0007,500 feet per minute. To provide adequate air coverage and thus insure proper cleaning of the tops and sides of the articles passing between leg portions 12, the length to width ratio of each of the slots 24, 26 and 26 should be approximately 10 to 1.

Having described the preferred embodiment of this invention in accordance with the patent statutes, it is to be realized that modifications may be made without departing from the broad spirit and scope of this invention. Accordingly it is respectfully requested that this invention be interpreted as broadly as possible and be limited only by the prior art.

What is claimed is:

1. A nozzle comprising, a pair of elongated laterally spaced hollow leg portions, a chamber portion located at one end of said leg portions, said chamber portion having a bottom section with an external surface extending between said leg portions at said one end thereof, all of said portions communicating interiorly, each of said leg portions having an elongated longitudinally extending discharge opening therein, said openings in said leg portions being generally uniformly laterally spaced from each other, said bottom section of said chamber portion having a discharge opening extending therethrough and between said leg portions, means within said chamber portion for directing flow of a pressurized gaseous fluid through said openings in said leg portions and said bottom section, and all of said openings being located to provide an overlapping flow of such a gaseous fluid.

2. A nozzle comprising, a pair of elongated laterally spaced hollow leg portions, a chamber portion located at one end of said leg portions, said chamber portion having a bottom section with an external surface extending between said leg portions at said one end thereof, all of said portions communicating interiorly, each of said leg portions having an elongated longitudinally extending discharge opening therein, said openings in said leg portions being generally uniformly laterally spaced from each other, said bottom section of said chamber portion having a discharge opening extending therethrough and between said leg portions, means within said chamber portion for directing flow of a pressurized gaseous fluid through said openings in said leg portions and said bottom section, all of said openings being located to provide an overlapping flow of such a gaseous fluid, and means supported above said means for directing flow for causing fiow of a pressurized gaseous fluid through said chamber portion and said openings in said leg portions and said bottom section.

3. A nozzle comprising, a pair of elongated laterally spaced hollow leg portions, a chamber portion located at one end of said leg portions, said chamber portion having a bottom section with an external surface extending between said leg portions at said one end thereof, all of said portions communicating interiorly, discharge openings located in said leg portions and said bottom section to provide an overlapping flow when a gaseous fluid is discharged therethrough, and means within said chamber portion for directing flow of a pressurized gaseous fluid through said openings.

4. A nozzle as defined in claim 3 in which the ends of said leg portions remote from said chamber portion are flat to support said chamber portion above a surface engaged by said ends of said leg portions.

5. A nozzle comprising, a pair of elongated laterally spaced hollow leg portions, a chamber portion located at one end of said leg portions, said chamber portion having a bottom section with an external surface extending between said leg portions at said one end thereof, all of said portions communicating interiorly, discharge openings located in said leg portions and said bottom section to provide an overlapping flow When a gaseous fluid is discharged therethrough, means within said chamber portion for directing flow of a pressurized gaseous fluid through said openings, and means supported above said means for directing flow for causing flow of a pressurized gaseous fluid through said openings.

6. A nozzle comprising, a pair of elongated laterally spaced hollow leg portions, a tubular chamber portion supported by said leg portions at one end thereof], said chamber portion having a bottom section with an external surface extending between said leg portions at said one end thereof, said leg portions having said one end open to said chamber portion, said leg portions having elongated longitudinally extending openings therein, said openings in said leg portions being generally uniformly laterally spaced from each other, said bot-tom section of said chamber portion having a discharge opening extending therethrough and between said leg portions, means within said chamber portion above said one end of said support members for directing flow of a pressurized gaseous fluid through said openings in said leg portions and said bottom section, and all of said openings being located to provide an overlapping flow of such a gaseous fluid.

7. A nozzle comprising, a pair of elongated laterally spaced hollow leg portions, a tubular chamber portion supported by said leg portions at one end thereof, said chamber portion having a bottom section with an external surface extending between said one end of said leg portions at said one end thereof, said leg portions having said one end open to said chamber portion and the opposite end thereof sealed, said leg portions having elongated longitudinally extending openings therein, said openings in said leg portions being generally uniformly laterally spaced from each other, said bottom section of said chamber portion having a discharge opening extending therethrough and between said leg portions, means within said chamber portion for directing the flow of a pressurized gaseous fluid through said opening in said bottom section of said chamber portion at an angle toward said longitudinally extending openings, and means supported within said chamber portion for directing the flow of a pressurized gaseous fluid through said openings in said leg portions.

8. A nozzle comprising, a pair of elongated laterally spaced hollow leg portions, a tubular chamber portion supported by said leg portions at one end thereof, said chamber portion having a surface thereof extending between said one end of said leg portions, said leg portions having said one end open to said chamber portion and the opposite end thereof sealed, said leg portions having elongated longitudinally extending openings therein, said surface of said chamber portion having an elongated laterally extending discharge opening therein spaced rearwardly of said longitudinally extending discharge openings, means supported within said chamber portion for directing the flow of a pressurized gaseous fluid through said opening in said surface of said chamber portion at an angle toward said longitudinally extending openings, and means supported within said chamber portion for directing the flow of a pressurized gaseous fluid through said openings in said leg portions, and longitudinally extending means located adjacent said longitudinally extending openings respectively at an angle thereto for directing the flow of a pressurized gaseous fluid emerging from said longitudinally extending openings forward and transversely of the zone defined by said laterally spaced hollow leg portions.

9. A nozzle as set forth in claim 8 wherein said laterally extending discharge opening is located forwardly of a transverse plane extending through the axial center of said chamber portion.

10. A nozzle as set forth in claim 8 wherein the elongated longitudinally extending openings extend from the sealed end of said leg portions to said chamber-surface.

11. A self-supporting vertically disposed nozzle comprising, a pair of elongated laterally spaced hollow support elements, a chamber portion located at one end of said support elements, said chamber portion having a surface thereof extending between said spaced hollow support elements at one end of the latter, a laterally extending opening in said surface, an elongated opening in each of said hollow support elements, said last mentioned openings located at the forward adjacent portions of said support elements and extending for the full length of the latter, said surface of said chamber portion and the adjacent portions of said support elements providing a passageway through which the elements to be acted upon pass, and means in said chamber portion for directing the flow of a gaseous medium therethrough to said laterally extending opening and to said hollow support elements. i

12. A self-supporting nozzle as set forth in claim 11 wherein said laterally extending opening in said chambersurfiace extending from one adjacent leg portion to the other adjacent leg portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,407,543 Hubbard Feb. 21, 1922 2,324,140 Dobak et al. July 13, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 962,937 France Dec. 19, 1949 

3. A NOZZLE COMPRISING, A PAIR OF ELONGATED LATERALLY SPACED HOLLOW LEG PORTIONS, A CHAMBER PORTION LOCATED AT ONE END OF SAID LEG PORTIONS, SAID CHAMBER PORTION HAVING A BOTTOM SECTION WITH AN EXTERNAL SURFACE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID LEG PORTIONS AT SAID ONE END THEREOF, ALL OF SAID PORTIONS COMMUNICATING INTERIORLY, DISCHARGE OPENINGS LOCATED IN SAID LEG PORTIONS AND SAID BOTTOM SECTION TO PROVIDE AN OVERLAPPING FLOW WHEN A GASEOUS FLUID IS DISCHARGED THERETHROUGH, AND MEANS WITHIN SAID CHAMBER PORTION FOR DIRECTING FLOW OF A PRESSURIZED GASEOUS FLUID THROUGH SAID OPENINGS. 